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Recently replaced an ailing battery in my 2007 E92. Now i'm thinking i may have an issue with the starter. When I hit the button, she cranks good and strong, but it seems to me it takes longer than it should for the engine to fire up. Could a faulty starter lead to extended cranking time to fire the engine?

Once started she purrs like a kitten... I typically run Techron through the tank roughly every 3k miles... I do almost monthly long trips >900+ miles ... 450+ of those miles in a single day... Those days I try to remember to run a tank with Techron.

The dealer recently tried to sell me injector service.... (on both of my BMW's)... I think it's part of the service sales pitch with no "evidence" of needing it shared in the pitch... Of course if longer crank times are associated with injector issues, it would make sense.

Recently replaced an ailing battery in my 2007 E92. Now i'm thinking i may have an issue with the starter. When I hit the button, she cranks good and strong, but it seems to me it takes longer than it should for the engine to fire up. Could a faulty starter lead to extended cranking time to fire the engine?

Car has 118k on the odo and i'm sure the starter is original.

Assuming you're talking about your 328i, when did you last have Vanos solenoids cleaned?

Assuming you're talking about your 328i, when did you last have Vanos solenoids cleaned?

How long's she take to catch fire?

The dealer did the "blow out" method of cleaning them back around 70k.... Funny you mentioned it though... At my recent visit with the dealer (state inspection/emission), they told me of some "stored codes" I wasn't able to see with my ODB reader relating to the Vanos... They cleared the codes (I forget what they were)... When I asked about blowing them out again, the SA told me that BMW no longer takes that approach and they should be replaced.

I had a similar situation a couple of years ago. They had to replace the valve in the fuel line that holds some fuel near the engine to allow the car to start. Mine failed and allowed all of the fuel to drain back to the rear of the car. It was having to literally pump fuel all the way from the rear of the car before it would catch. I forget the actual name of the part, but it seemed simple enough to fix.

Brew, you've read a lot of good guesses up above, any one of them is possible. Or not. What a professional shop would do is look at your PIDs which are all the things the computer reads (like engine tempperature and air fuel ratio and throttle position) and then controls based on the input (like fuel injector pulse width and cam timing and ignition timing). They'd be looking for something irregular. Unfortunately, unless the computer gets what is considered "implausible" input it assumes the signal is correct and uses that information in its calculations without setting a code (which would illuminate the 'check engine' -MIL- light). So it will take a skilled diagnostician to narrow down where your problem lies.
I sure wouldn't exclude the common problem sources like Vanos faults or ignition coil breakdown or air slow air/fuel ratio sensors, and I'd take a peek at them first.

Edit: My WAG? I'm going with the air/fuel ratio sensors. Where do I send the bill?

Not fuel injectors unless one is bleeding down. Here is a good test to tell if the fuel injector problem might be the deal meaning bleeding down or a loss of fuel pressurization, turn the key or button to pos 2 wait a few seconds then try to start the car.
You don't need to pull codes this way.
Allowing the pos 2 for a few seconds allows the fuel pump to run for 2 seconds before shutting off. If the car starts much sooner than you have something bleeding fuel pressure down and that could be anything from your fuel pump to your injectors.
If this makes no change than code pulling is a good idea. Many have been successful cleaning their VANOS solenoids and reinstalling. No issue swapping them after cleaning either since they are the same and if one of them was a cause of the slow fire it should be reflected in a change of condition in starting.

Longer crankling in my experience usually points to a fuel pressure bleed down.
Please post what you find is the cause of the problem to help us all learn...

I had a similar situation a couple of years ago. They had to replace the valve in the fuel line that holds some fuel near the engine to allow the car to start. Mine failed and allowed all of the fuel to drain back to the rear of the car. It was having to literally pump fuel all the way from the rear of the car before it would catch. I forget the actual name of the part, but it seemed simple enough to fix.

Brew, you've read a lot of good guesses up above, any one of them is possible. Or not. What a professional shop would do is look at your PIDs which are all the things the computer reads (like engine tempperature and air fuel ratio and throttle position) and then controls based on the input (like fuel injector pulse width and cam timing and ignition timing). They'd be looking for something irregular. Unfortunately, unless the computer gets what is considered "implausible" input it assumes the signal is correct and uses that information in its calculations without setting a code (which would illuminate the 'check engine' -MIL- light). So it will take a skilled diagnostician to narrow down where your problem lies.
I sure wouldn't exclude the common problem sources like Vanos faults or ignition coil breakdown or air slow air/fuel ratio sensors, and I'd take a peek at them first.

Edit: My WAG? I'm going with the air/fuel ratio sensors. Where do I send the bill?

Not fuel injectors unless one is bleeding down. Here is a good test to tell if the fuel injector problem might be the deal meaning bleeding down or a loss of fuel pressurization, turn the key or button to pos 2 wait a few seconds then try to start the car.
You don't need to pull codes this way.
Allowing the pos 2 for a few seconds allows the fuel pump to run for 2 seconds before shutting off. If the car starts much sooner than you have something bleeding fuel pressure down and that could be anything from your fuel pump to your injectors.
If this makes no change than code pulling is a good idea. Many have been successful cleaning their VANOS solenoids and reinstalling. No issue swapping them after cleaning either since they are the same and if one of them was a cause of the slow fire it should be reflected in a change of condition in starting.

Longer crankling in my experience usually points to a fuel pressure bleed down.
Please post what you find is the cause of the problem to help us all learn...

Trying also to learn here, but Brewder has a 328i. That means it is naturally aspirated, no?
Correct me if I am wrong, but no fuel injection in the 328, yes?

Is VANOS solenoid replacement something to look forward to?

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